In what has been a wild offseason, the New England Patriots made a move Tuesday that didn’t involve Tom Brady.
The Patriots signed wide receiver Damiere Byrd, according to reports. Most recently with Arizona, Byrd began his career with the Carolina Panthers. The speedster now looks to find a home in New England. Signed to a one-year deal, Byrd has an opportunity to prove himself in Foxboro
He may end up playing a big role within the New England Patriots offense. And he may not. As New England appears to be retooling their roster, he at least adds a veteran presence to the wide receiver group. That may be important this year as the team looks to reshape their roster.
We take a look at four things to know about Byrd.
Byrd excels as a kick returner
Byrd is a solid kick returner. While with the Carolina Panthers, he really solidified that role. Special teams was a big part of his game, and he often put the Panthers in good field position.
2017 was an example of that. He had a great year, returning seven kicks for 229 yards. Perhaps the highlight of his season was a kick return that went for 103 yards. The 103-yard return is a Carolina Panthers franchise record.
Although he didn’t really leave a huge mark in the passing game for Carolina while he was there, he did manage to carve a niche on special teams. At the bare minimum, he could be used by New England as a kickoff returner. He has 353 yards on 14 returns for his career. At the very least, he can help the Patriots gain solid starting field position.